Grey-sky thinking: Extraordinary clouds

I HAVE a love-hate relationship with clouds. While I’ve spent countless days on holiday sulking about them, I also recall pining for a grey day in Australia after weeks of blue skies. As well as their environmental importance, clouds have great aesthetic value, turning the sky into an art gallery.

I’m not alone in my admiration. The Cloud Appreciation Society, with over 15,000 members worldwide, pledges to “fight blue-sky thinking”. The Cloud Collector’s Handbook, by its founder Gavin Pretor-Pinney, is a compilation of excellent photographs taken by society …